Be My Kryptonite
by feedthecat
Summary: With a little twist of fate and a small sprinkle of hope... Robin Scherbatsky finds herself right in the arms of someone she'd never thought she'd find herself with - her lifelong friend, her best buddy, her companion - Barney Stinson.
1. Chapter 1

"Damn it, Robin! Will you just stop worrying? It's all going to be alright, I promise. He's going to call you, you guys are going to go to dinner and it'll just be like… Like… A usual date. Except he's going to ask you to marry him. But that's okay. Because you know you love him."

"I know, I know…" Robin whined as she struggled to put on her heels. "Thank you so much, Lily, honestly. I couldn't have done it alone. You're the greatest person in the world." She gave Lily a quick hug as a way of showing her gratitude, took a deep breath and tugged on the doorknob that led to the busy streets and a gush of cool wind.

"Wait! Your coat!" Lily cried as she took the delicate coat off the hanger and handed it to her best friend. Robin cocked her head sheepishly, mouthed a 'thanks!' and walked off in a hurry to grab a cab, which was evidently not the easiest task in the world on a Friday night in Manhattan. That's what she didn't like about the city. It had everything – and everything – but it was always so damn crowded.

"Come on…" Robin mumbled to herself as she stood impatiently, eyeing the cars that go by. Checking her phone, she realises she has a missed call from Sam. When did he call anyway? She thought as she dialled a number into her phone keypad. She has his number on speed dial because after all, they've been dating for three years now and she was certain he is going to be The One for her. Two seconds and some clicking noises, a swift voice answered the phone.

"Robin! Where are you my lovely? I just got off work and I'm stuck in this horrible traffic. I will get there, I promise, but I may be a few minutes late. I'm so sorry my dear," Sam said in a rush.

"Hey Sam! I'm so sorry I missed your call. And don't worry about it, I haven't been able to get a cab either, so I guess we're both going to be a bit late. I'm glad we're both sloppy people." Robin giggled as she spotted the bright yellow of a New York cab. "Hey, talk to you later baby. Cab!" she yelled. Ending the call, she put her phone down and started waving with her other arm, signalling to the vehicle. Thank God, she thought.

The taxi drove to the sidewalk quickly and she jumped straight in. "Um, do you know this place?" she asked the driver as she showed him a slip of paper on which Sam has written the address for their dinner date. "I'm sorry, my boyfriend told me it was a new restaurant so we're both trying it out."

"Yep, I do. Wonderful restaurant, I heard. Very expensive, though. Aren't you a lucky lady." Chuckled the cab driver in a friendly tone and Robin felt her cheeks flush crimson.

"Haha… Is it? I'm actually kind of freaking out right now. I think my boyfriend's going to ask me to marry him. I mean, we've been going out for three years now and I feel like it's time for us to settle down too, you know? My best friend found a ring in his pocket the last time we saw him, which was yesterday night when he came over for a quick dinner…" Noticing the whimsical smile on the driver's face, Robin panicked once again. "Am I talking too much? God, I'm so sorry. I'm like that when I'm nervous. I just kind of lose it."

"Well, lady, you have every right to be losing it! Being proposed to must be such a wonderful thing." The driver smiled once again as he took a turn into the fifth avenue. "Right, that'll be $13."

"Here's $15, keep the change, wish me luck!" Robin breathed as she paid the driver and gave him a nervous smile.

"You'll do just fine! Go on, go to your future!" The driver said encouragingly as Robin shot him a grateful look. Getting out of the cab, she nodded a thank you to the driver and rushed up the sidewalk.

Taking a deep breath, she walked up to the reception and smiled at the lady sitting behind the counter. "A reservation – Mr. Mendler, table for two?"

The lady, dressed in a smart suit, stood up and flashed a confident smile as she extended her arm to the right. "Mr. Mendler's arrived. Right this way, follow me please."

Overwhelmed, Robin followed the lady through the glamourous corridor and into the restaurant. Never has she felt so excited and nervous at the same time.


	2. Chapter 2

"Have a lovely time, madam," the same lady in the smart suit commented as she flashed another one of her winning smiles. Robin bit her lip as she responded with a polite nod. She had never been regarded as 'madam' by a complete stranger before. She watched as the lady strutted down the same corridor they both had walked down just moments ago and glanced around the room.

She held her breath as she took in the surroundings. _This place sure is fancy_, she thought. The lights seemed like they were made of crystal and the tables had bits of gold embroidered in the corners. In this posh restaurant, she felt like a little kid as she stood in a little black dress she had rented online just yesterday. She thought about how Lily would react if they had swapped places. Probably thrilled.

"Hey baby, are you alright? Whatcha thinking about?" Sam grinned as she turned and looked into his striking blue eyes. He got up and walked around the table as he helped her into her chair, then giving her a quick peck on the lips. "The salmon here is simply fantastic. I think you'd love it."

"I love salmon," Robin smiled, thanking God for such a wonderful boyfriend.

"And that I know, lovely lady," Sam grinned as he offered her a copy of the menu. "I think we'll both have the salmon, if that's good with you?"

"Of course it is. It's amazing… This place is amazing. How did you manage to get a table on a Friday night, darling?" Robin marvelled at her boyfriend's excellent choice of restaurant and felt like getting off her seat and telling everyone else in the room how perfect her boyfriend was. Resisting the urge, she cleared her throat.

"Are you ready to order?" A young man dressed in a neat waitress uniform stood beside their table.

"Ah, yes. We'll both have the salmon. And a bottle of the pink champagne?" Sam responded politely as the waiter nodded in his direction.

"Certainly, sir. Anything else?"

Sam didn't seem to be fazed when called upon by the title 'sir'. He hesitated for a while, catching Robin's eye, as if waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, Sam returned the menus to the waiter. "I think we're good for now, thanks."

The waiter turned on his heel and walked to the back of the restaurant, where the kitchen resided and Robin felt herself relieved. She didn't realise she had been holding her breath for a while now.

The food came swiftly and Robin could not help but smile the entire time she savoured the dishes. Sipping on her pink champagne, she noticed Sam getting nervous.

"Honey, are you alright?" Robin frowned, with the champagne glass still swirling in her hand.

"Robin… I… I have something to tell you. I have been wanting to say this for a while now, but I never thought… I mean, I just wanted to say…" Sam fidgeted, unsure of what to say next.

"Yes…?" Robin breathed, pinching herself from underneath the table. _Is this really happening? _She thought. _He's going to propose to me! Oh, God. What should I say? Do I just say yes? Or should I throw in some tears for a good measure? Oh God, oh God, oh God. This is all happening too fast. Okay, you got this, Robin. Just calm down._

"Actually… I think… First of all, I have to apologise, though deep down, I know an apology simply won't be enough…"

…_Wait, what? What exactly is he on about?_

"Sam, I don't know what you're talking about…" Robin felt her throat dry as she panicked silently.

"Robin. I think… I don't think this is working. This thing between you and I, I mean. I don't think it's working. It's not you, it's me. I love you, Robin. And I promise I didn't mean to do this. But… I guess I'm just not _in love_ with you anymore," Sam took a deep breath as he completed his sentence.

_WHAT!?_

"Are you… Are you breaking up with me?" Robin croaked as she tried her best not to burst into tears. "Three years, Sam. Three years. And you're breaking up with me… Now?" She felt her stomach drop and all of a sudden, she wanted nothing more than to go home and cry all night long on her bathroom floor.

"I'm so sorry, Robin. You are a beautiful lady. So smart, so kind, so unique… It's just… I really do not think this relationship is going anywhere," Sam bit his lip, looking helpless and guilty all rolled up into one.

"No. No, it's fine. Sam, it's fine. I completely understand. Ha ha, this happens all the time. Relationships don't always work out. I get it. It's okay. You don't have to be sorry. I mean, if we're not meant to be, I guess it's better you break it to me sooner rather than later. I appreciate it, I really do. Um, I've got to go," Robin stood up and walked down the corridor, ignoring Sam's calls of her name.

_Three years? And he's breaking up with her now? What about that ring? Did their relationship mean nothing at all to him? Maybe the ring wasn't meant for her. Maybe he bought it for his brother's wedding. Or maybe he bought it because his mum had liked it. Or maybe… Maybe… Maybe he has another woman._

A million thoughts raced through her mind as she tried her best not to cry. This was not meant to be happening. She was supposed to be excited and nervous as she says yes to Sam and they were supposed to be driving off into the night, planning their wedding as they quarrelled over the wedding theme on that day. _This is all wrong_, she thought, frustrated, as she jumped into a cab.

"Where to?" The driver peeked meekly into her direction.

Robin knew there was only one person she can talk all night long to, and that was Barney. Barney Stinson. Her lifelong friend. The one who laughed at her jokes even though they both knew they weren't that funny, the one who stayed up all night on the phone with her when she thought there was a burglar in the house, the one who constantly told her everything will be fine even when they both knew things would not be.

He would understand.

"West 7th street."

The driver nodded, peered into the rear view mirror to make sure Robin was alright and drove off into the dark, lonely night.


	3. Chapter 3

"Barney!" Robin cried as she walked into Barney's apartment, hardly holding up anymore, with tears streaming down her face.

"Whoa, what happened?" Barney had always been there for Robin when she needed him and he had seen her break down often enough, but not once had he been in this kind of situation. Robin seemed out of control, with tears streaming down her face, ruining her mascara. Nonetheless, he thought she was beautiful.

"I…I just… I was having dinner with Sam, and Lily saw this ring he had inside his pocket last night when he came over… And I thought he was going to propose to me, you know? I really thought he did. I mean, I just… It was natural to think of that… Then… Then…" Robin broke down in sobs once again and rested her head on Barney's shoulder, who was busy handing her pieces of tissue paper and stroking her hair.

"And then…?" Barney prompted gently, holding her as they sat on the couch.

"And then before I knew it, he was telling me he wasn't in love with me anymore, whatever that meant. I asked him if he were breaking up with me, and he said he was sorry… And… And I stormed out of the restaurant. That was it. I don't know what to do…" Robin gasped for air between her sobs. "What am I going to do, Barney? Please tell me what to do. I'm completely lost without Sam."

Barney had never seen Robin so devastated. He felt selfish now, knowing she was single once again and hoping he'll be given a chance when she was healed. Not wanting to lose their precious friendship, a friendship that had bloomed so beautifully over the years, he had never told her about he felt about her.

During these three years, Sam was a nice guy and they were good friends, but that did not make him want her any less. And there had been times when he desperately wanted to tell her how he felt and how he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and only her. There had been times when all he wanted to do was hold her until they both fell asleep, or watch terribly filmed movies with her so they both could have a hefty laugh on a Saturday night. He had wanted to do this so much and he had wanted to tell her how he felt and still feels so terribly. But how could he, at a time like this?

Barney sighed, feeling as confused and at lost as Robin, but in a completely different way.

"Don't cry… It's okay… It's okay now. And if it's not okay, it's going to be." Barney whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Robin, you can spend the night here if you like. I'll sleep on the couch. You'll be fine. You're a strong one. You're my strong one. Always have been, always will be." He took her into an embrace and held on for a long, long time.

After a long while, Robin eventually fell asleep. After having called Lily to update her on the situation, Barney gathered a spare blanket and carried Robin to bed. _It had been a long day for the both of us, and a tough one for her as well,_ he thought as he drew the blankets up to her chin and tucked her in like a father would to his daughter. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep, with a little smile plastered on her face. He smiled wistfully and made his way to the couch, where he fell asleep within the first three minutes of his head hitting the pillow.

_Tomorrow would be a better day, _he thought_. Tomorrow always turns out to be a better day._


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you feeling better?" Barney asked from behind the kitchen counter as he brewed a fresh coffee he felt they both needed at this time.

"…No, not at all. It's like all I want to do is curl up into a ball and listen to sad Taylor Swift songs," Robin mumbled, curled up on the couch in the same black dress she had worn to the dinner date and slept in last night, surrounded by a little hill of the tissues she had used to dry her tears with.

Barney sighed a little. "That's okay, too. Take your time. Nothing heals a broken heart better than time itself."

"Wow mister, you are deep. You're like, the next Oscar Wilde or something," she mustered a smile as she continued staring at a blank wall, with her head propped up by her arm.

"Maybe I am, you never know." He smiled back; feeling satisfied he had at least managed to make her smile in a rough time like this.

With a slip of hand, she dropped the tissue she was holding, causing a glance downwards and her to notice the little black dress. As if suddenly realising something, she felt the same sharp blow of pain she had yesterday when Sam had called off their relationship. The dress, of course. Why, she had completely forgotten about it in the midst of last night's drama.

"_Shit_! Damn, damn, damn! Damn it!" Robin groaned, staring at her dress, one now with wet patches from her tears. And as if that was not bad enough, her dress was now slightly crumpled as well. She had no idea what to do next. "Curse you, Universe!" she yelled as she shook her fist in the air.

Noticing the unfamiliar yet quite amusing sight, Barney let out a whimsical little chuckle.

"Barney, it's not funny! My dress is ruined! Lord, I paid a hundred bucks just to _rent _it… Do you have any idea how screwed I am right now? I'm due to return it tonight…" Sighing, Robin let her voice fade out into a mumble as she stood up to get a better view of how bad her dress situation was. "I guess this can be fixed… Lily probably knows how to do it. She's artsy, I mean…" Scrunching up her nose, Robin picks up her phone, prepared to call her best friend.

"It's okay. You don't have to call Lily. I know someone, they can get it fixed." Barney gestured for Robin to put her phone down and so she did. She stared at him, wide-eyed, like he had saved her. And maybe he had.

"Really? Thanks. I mean, really. How much is… The fixing? I can pay you back. This isn't fair to you. This thing is pretty ruined. And I need to return it by tonight… I'm sorry; I'm causing so much trouble…" Robin let out yet another sigh and he noticed her shoulders drop visibly.

"Yes, really. And don't you worry about the cost, it'll be fine. I'll just file it under 'tax' or something in my business folder and someone from the company will pay. Leave it up to the Stinson." Barney walked over to Robin and put both his hands on her shoulders. "Now, there's just one problem…"

"What?"

"Well, the dry cleaning department can't exactly fix your dress with you still in it…" Barney grinned as Robin smiled slightly and shook her head to his terrible sense of humour.

Trust Barney to come up with corny stuff like this.


	5. Chapter 5

Two hours later, Robin hears the familiar noise of the Barney's footsteps outside his apartment approaching. The lock turned and he stepped in, holding the same dress that was now washed, dry-cleaned and ironed. A dress that looked even better than when Robin first rented it.

"Oh my… You did it! You fixed it! It's as good as new!" Robin gasped as she stood in Barney's living room, wearing one of his oversized t-shirts after having changed out of her little black dress. Running to him to examine the once ruined dress, she admired it with adoration.

Giving him the biggest embrace ever, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Told you it could be done! Now, where do I deposit this little thing?" Barney wondered out loud, holding up the dress.

"Oh, I'll do it. I know where," Robin offered as they both sat down on the couch, with her still examining the dress in wonder.

"Yeah, you _could_, but not in an oversized t-shirt with no pants on… You'll _really _freak people out."

"Right. Uh, I'll call Lily to pick me up and bring me a change of clothes now. She should be off work today." Robin picked up her phone once again, this time without Barney stopping her.

"Alright," he got up and walked to his bedroom to change into a more comfortable piece of suit. Armani makes him look good and he liked that, especially in the presence of Robin, but come on, the suit's material was stiff as hell. He can't possibly trot in this thing for a whole day.

Lily arrived in an hour, with a change of Robin's clothes as she was told to bring and gave a thumbs up to Barney for taking care of her best friend so well the night before. After a brief exchange, the best friends headed down to return the dress, with Robin telling Lily all about her crazy failure of a dinner date and how she would probably never get married or date or even meet someone anymore due to the current loss of her faith in relationships.

"You'll be fine, Robin. It always works out, just wait for it," Lily reassured her for about the hundredth time as they walked up to her apartment.

"That's because you've got Marshall, Lil. I don't think I can stay here alone. Can I stay over at your place tonight? Or crash at Barney's again? Please, pretty please. I just need some more time. I'm not ready for this, not yet…" Robin pleaded as Lily turned her key to the lock.

"No, listen to me. What you need right now is some alone time. To think things over, and to say goodbye to that jerk who ditched you after three years." Lily nodded firmly at the apartment and jutted her head towards the direction of the door, telling Robin that she must go in and face whatever she needed to face.

Robin, sensing the determination in Lily's voice, didn't even bother to put up a fight, knowing she would not win. "Thanks, Lil…" was all she managed as she headed back to her lonely two bed apartment.

"Don't mention it. Call me if you need help, but only for emergencies. I know you well enough to know you'll be able to cope with this yourself. And it's important you know how to, too. I'll call to take a few days off work for you, but only a few days, no exceptions. You can't just slave yourself away, Robin. You have to get back on your feet soon." Lily waved goodbye to her best friend as she locked the door to her apartment behind her.

"Yes, mum," Robin responded, though knowing full well Lily would not be able to hear her and snuggled up in her couch, hoping she'd get over her boyfriend soon. Wait, no, what she meant was _ex_-boyfriend. Past tense.

As she gazed around the room with a doubtful look on her face, she felt sorrow sink into her system once again. Everything in her flat somehow reminded her of Sam. Take the microwave – the one they had spent ages trying to fix it the last time they almost had it explode in flames trying to get some popcorn fixed. Or this couch, for instance. All those nights they spent watching and rewatching their favourite Emma Stone comedies.

Robin shook her head to rid the thoughts and rested her head on the arm of her couch. She had never been the kind of woman to need a man anyway, had she? Thinking of a thousand ways to get over Sam, she thought and thought until she drifted to sleep again.


	6. Chapter 6

Robin woke to a rough start and groaned as she climbed off her couch to get the doorbell that had been ringing for the past five minutes. Can't a girl have some sleep without getting interrupted? Whoever that was outside of the door, she was going to whack them in the face, she thought.

"Coming…" She groggily wiped the sleep out of her eye as she staggered to open the door.

"Morning! How are you feeling? Any better?" A wide smiled Barney Stinson appeared on her doorstep, carrying a paper bag from Starbucks and two green tea lattes.

"Barney! What are you doing here? It's seven in the morning!" Robin whined, but can't help to hide the smile that had crept up across her face. Barney had always been a supportive friend, but sometimes she just could not believe the amount of effort he cared to put in to make her happy. Sure, she often pretended he was an annoying pest and that she was sick of him, but deep down, she knew she could not get through a day without thinking of him at least once.

"I know. But I just wanted to check if you were okay. And I brought food. You should be grateful, you little thing." Barney arranged their breakfast on a coffee table in front of the telly, wincing at the big mess of her apartment. "You know, Robin, I worry about you sometimes."

Eyeing the blanket that now laid on her carpet and odd bits of clothes that were strewn all over the place, she yawned. "Thanks, but I'll take care of that, I promise. Just not now. Because right now, I'm going to take a shower and enjoy the delicacy that my knight in shining whatever brought me." She lazily walked down the corridor and into the bathroom. She took out a fresh towel from the overhead cupboard, turning on the water heater as she did so.

"It's _armour_! Knight in shining armour!" Barney yelled through the bathroom door as he heard the sound of her shower turn on. He settled on the couch, and just as he was about to take his first sip of latte, he heard the doorbell ring.

_Could it be Sam?_

Barney sprung up from the couch and put his hand on the doorknob, prepared to find Sam standing just behind the door. He hesitated for a moment before opening the door, but when he finally did, he found a little redhead in a blue blouse. _Phew, it's only Lily_, he thought as he allowed her to enter and closed the door behind them.

"Barney? What are you doing here? It's seven in the morning!" Lily asked, obviously as confused as ever.

"That's exactly what Robin said. I guess what they say about best friends is true," Barney mumbled, walking back to the couch and to his breakfast. When he saw that Lily was still staring at him in a 'you-haven't-answered-my-question' manner, he paused his movements. "I'm here because I… I mean, I brought her breakfast. And I wanted to see if she was okay. What are _you_ doing here?" He jutted his chin at Lily, hoping to change the subject.

"I'm her best friend, Barney. I'm supposed to be there for her all the time. And Marshall's gone to court this morning for his new case, so he gave me a ride here. Just to see if Robin's okay," Lily responded in a matter of fact way.

"Yeah! Me too! I don't know why you're making such a big deal," Barney squeaked, holding a latte in his hand as he tried to shrug off his obvious feeling of awkwardness.

Having known Barney for an even longer period of time than Robin, Lily had acquired to all his little quirks throughout the years. Whether she had liked them or not, she had learned to read him like a book. She always thought her abilities to find out the truth and knowing when people were lying to her as one of a waste of time, but now she was happy she had them and she knew just exactly what her old friend Barney was up to.

She had to admit, she was a bit taken aback seeing Barney in her best friend's apartment at seven in the morning on a Saturday, but having been reminded, by herself, of Robin's rough breakup the night before, she gave him a free pass in her head and came to a conclusion that he, too, was just being caring.

But no male friend, no matter how caring, will turn up with breakfast in his hands, and no male friend, no matter how concerned, will offer to help clean up his friend's apartment for no exchange whatsoever. Especially not one in a suit, one who prefer to spend his time in strip clubs – even on Saturday mornings, nor one who thought cleaning as a task that should not be done by one's own bare hands even if being held at gunpoint.

That leaves only one possibility.

Lily stared at her old friend, raising an eyebrow.

"_Barney… Are you in love with Robin?"_


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I'm not exactly sure this is how I do author notes but I suppose it's on here. My story has 1,114 views! It may not seem a lot but this is my first time writing anything so it's pretty delightful. I'm actually trying to keep this story around 15-20 chapters so I won't stretch too far and end up having to put it out of its misery by coming up with a terribly brief and unthoughtful ending. So... I mean, I'll try. Thank you for reading and thank you for the nice reviews. :) x**

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"_No!_ Psht. You _assume_ things too much. I'm not in love with Robin! That's crazy! You're crazy!" Barney squeaked, his voice suddenly gone pitches higher. "You see, the thing is, I'm just an awesome friend. I'm not _in love_ with her! Why would you even suggest a thing like this? Despicable. You disgust me, Lily Aldrin."

"Barney…" Lily rolled her eyes impatiently and tapped her foot against the carpet.

"Shut up! What is wrong with you? I, Barney Stinson, am not in love with Robin Scherbatsky! I'm just… I'm just _in love_ with her. But I'm not in love with her! God!" Barney finished, feeling flustered after his confession. He was pacing back and forth around the room now, keeping his head down low and he had his hands behind his back.

"Barney," Lily started again, glad that she had been right all along about him. "You make no sense. You really are in love with her. Oh… Oh my god." She frowned, unsure of what to make of the situation. "Does she know?"

"The thing is…" Barney mumbled, with his brows furrowed. "She has no idea. But I can't tell her now, can I? Not at a time like this. She's just gone through a rough breakup. She's not ready for this. I'm freaking out. Please don't tell her." He looked up and gazed at Lily with the sweetest look on his face, almost like the face of an abandoned little puppy.

"Of course I won't tell her. But what are you planning to do about this?" Lily wondered out loud. She had never seen her friend freak out over a woman like this and though she was a self-acclaimed relationship expert, this one was a special case.

The two of them stood uneasily while they racked their brains for a sustainable idea, but try as they might, they could not come up with anything at all.

Barney struggled with his words while scratching the back of his scalp in frustration. "I don't know. But whatever it is, I can't let her know. Not yet."

"Can't let who know what?" Robin appeared in the living room, with hair now rid of grease. She had also put on a clean blouse and blue jeans, as well as an expression of confusion. Upon noticing Lily's arrival, she burst out into a wide grin. "Lily! You're here. And so is Barney. And that's great. But um, what brings everyone here on a sunny Saturday morning?" Putting her hands on her hips, she walked to the table where her breakfast sat.

"Hey! We were just coming to check on you." Lily smiled, as if she did not just hear the news of her old friend falling in love with her best friend. "And we were just talking about the… The… This table! Barney scratched a bit of paint off the sides. But it's okay." She let out a nervous laugh and nudged Barney for him to say something.

"Yeah! Exactly. That's what she said!" Barney let out a little whoop and pointed a finger at Lily, all the time feeling nervous and unsettled on the inside.

Robin, having sensed there was something off with Barney, stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow at Barney's odd behaviour. For a split second, there was awkward silence in the room while the two prayed she would not question his strange behaviour.

Snapping back to reality, Robin glanced at the table dismissively. "Oh, that's alright. It's an old table anyway. I've scratched the paint off like a million times," She shrugged and the two of them let out an audible sigh of relief. "So why are we all standing around? I mean… I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I'm really hungry. So, shall we?" She gestured to their breakfast and gave it a weak smile.

"Of course," Lily responded.

The three of them dived right into the food that was meant for two and as quickly as it had arrived, the awkward tension melted away and morphed into hefty laughs instead.


	8. Chapter 8

"Barney – you have to tell her about this," Lily looked into Barney's eyes solemnly as they walked down the street after having left their friend's apartment.

He sighed, avoiding her direct gaze. "I can't. And I've told you why I can't. She's not ready for this. And I don't want to lose her as a friend. I just don't want to risk it."

They continued pacing in silence as the both of them prayed the other had the solution to this complicated problem. Lily knew how desperately he had wanted to tell her best friend about how he feels, and even though he was known notoriously for his playboy personality, she could tell that this time, his feelings were real. His feelings were real and there was nothing she can do to stop that friendship from catching fire.

"You know, I think I'll just let this feeling pass. I'll find someone else or something. I mean, this is probably just a one-time thing… I'll get over it," Barney let out a sigh of frustration again as he arrived at his workplace, the GNB tower.

He had been working for GNB for a few years now, and although he was paid lavishly, no one really knew exactly what he did for a living. All he was willing to let out was the fact that he was some kind of executive, the kind that went to the important meetings and signed the important papers. In other words, he was simple the important kind of executive, whatever that meant.

Just as he was about to push the glass doors that led to the lobby open, Lily put out a hand to block his path, stopping him from doing so.

"No, Barney. No. This feeling will not pass and I'm pretty sure you know how you feel. Come on. You know yourself better than I do. Just wait it out – wait for her get over it and ask her out. It won't be an easy thing but I'm her best friend and I know how she feels about you."

"What? No way! What do you mean?" He gaped at his friend in confusion. Was she trying to tell him that Robin had been in love with him before? Or worse, that Robin had been in love with him _for the whole time_?

Lily seemed to have picked up what he was thinking, because she shook the idea firmly out of both their heads with a sentence of confirmation. "No. Not like that. I mean, she's your good friend and I know how fond she is of you. All I'm saying is, I don't think she'd be… _Angry_ with you for feeling the way you do towards her. That's all I'm saying. _Not whatever you thought I meant_."

"I know… I know what you mean. I get it. It's just that… It's _hard_, okay? It takes guts. And it's complicated. It's just not so good right now." Wanting some alone time to think things over, Barney knew he had to put on a show and pretend he was going to be late for a meeting just to get rid of his friend for a moment. Feeling like a terrible person, he proceeded to do what he had planned to anyway. Because sometimes, alone time is what everyone needs.

"Lil?"

"Yeah?"

Gazing at his watch with intent, he put on his best business-like voice and cleared his throat. "I really need to go. I've got a meeting in fifteen minutes and I've got some prep work to do. Just… Don't tell Robin about this conversation? Or any of the ones we've had involving me being in love with her? Thank you so much. I want you to know that I do appreciate your help. But I think I can do this alone for now."

"Oh, that's alright!" She responded in a chirpy voice, making him feel as terrible as ever. "Just make sure you're going to be okay. I won't tell Robin if you don't want me to, of course. Go ahead. I'll talk to you later if you want someone to talk to, or just call me if you feel like making any stupid decisions you think I won't approve, because, chances are, I probably won't approve. See you!" Smiling, she turned on her heels and Barney whizzed into the lobby the second she uttered those last words.

Stepping into the lift of a thousand aromas from the different people working in the tower, he took a deep breath, sedating himself mentally as he stared at the metallic lift doors.

_'Barney Stinson, you've tricked countless women into thinking you're in love with them… So what's the big deal with tricking a woman into thinking you're__** not**__ in love with her? Just do this whole thing backwards. No pressure, buddy. You got this. You got this, and I've got your back.'_


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Sorry for the infrequent updates, lately I've been busy with revision and stuff so that has been holding me up. Also - I keep receiving sweet reviews, so thank you for that! Enjoy Chapter Nine. Bit short, but hopefully interesting. :) x**

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"_Robin, there's something I have to tell you. No, it's not the fact that I'm awesome, because you already know it. It's that… I really love you and I am certain I have never loved anybody as much as I love you right now. You are, without a doubt, the love my life. I just want to-_ **_No!_** No, that's not right."

Tapping his feet in frustration, Barney sighed. He had been rehearsing by himself for about half an hour now, pacing back and forth in his apartment trying to come up with the perfect speech to make Robin swoon.

"Okay. Let's do this again and do it right… _Robin, there's something I really have to tell you. It's been a while and… And I still feel the same. I want you to know that I have been_- Damn it! This is pathetic. What's wrong with me? Gah. I never want to be in love with anyone again, ever."

Grabbing a seat on his couch, he let his shoulders sink a fraction lower than it once was. He had no idea how to do this alone and he would call Lily over for some extra practice as well as tips on what he should or should not be doing while confessing his love, but she had told him beforehand that she had to attend a musical put up by her 'wonderful kindergarten children' for three whole hours the same night.

_Three whole hours_. _How does anyone even sit through that?_

It's not like he didn't like kids… He just wasn't the type of person to be able to sit still for hours on end, listening to some baby voice sing about Peter Pan. Not wanting to be bitter, he decided to shake the thought out of his head before he catches himself whining once again. He supposed he would just have to get through this alone, and he prayed it would not be that challenging after all.

"Alright. One more time. And I'm going to get this right."

Although Barney knew that the phrase 'one more time' was just a lie to himself and he was never really going to get it right no matter how much time he has had allowed for himself to practice, he felt that being negative about something was not really the way to go. So he took a deep breath and did it one more time, all over again, from the beginning to the end, to the best of his ability.

And after he had finished that one time, he did it again. And again. And again. And again, until he was worn out and finally felt confident enough to say it to the love of his life.

Still trying to figure out the appropriate time to tell Robin about how he feels, he racked his brains. It had been a week and a half now, but that did not mean she was ready. _Because when you have been dating someone for almost your whole adult life, you do not get over them in ten days or less, _he thought. And he understood.

Lost in thought, Barney was jolted back into reality by the sound of his phone buzzing. He jumped to a start and waltzed to his coffee table, where his phone buzzed non-stop, like an impatient baby trying to get a hug from his mother.

"Alright, alright, who would that be?" he wondered out loud as he picked up his phone to check the caller ID.

Realising the call was from Carl at MacLaren's, his stomach dropped. _What, did Ted get in trouble with someone at the bar again?_ Sighing, he answered the call, but set a determined mind as to not let anything – anything at all – ruin his mood.

"Sup, Stinson speaking," Barney slurred into the phone without effort, having done it a million times.

Carl cleared his throat then spoke up, his voice relaxed but slightly apologetic. "Hey Barney, I'm sorry to bother you at this time of the night, but your friend here is getting pretty drunk and I think you'll have to come over."

"…Damn it, Ted! I knew I shouldn't have let him go to the bar alone… I'll be right there." Barney let out an audible groan as he held his phone away from his ear, an old habit acquired back when he was a teenager and his aunt would talk non-stop into the receiver every single Christmas. As much as he loved Ted, he could not deny he had been planning an early night alone. And sure enough, his best friend had to ruin it with his undeniably perfect timing.

"Oh… It's not Ted. It's Robin who's at the bar. I thought I'd just let you know that." Carl added coolly.

Putting his phone back towards his ear, Barney realised he had not been listening but scanning his living room, looking for his coat. "Tell Ted I'll be there in two minutes? Excellent. Thanks!"

He hung up swiftly, before Carl even had a chance to utter his reply. Thinking he was in for a long night doing the awful 'let's bring you back to your apartment without you puking all over me' kind of best friend business, Barney stepped out of his apartment into the busy streets of New York, wondering why he had agreed to pick his friend up in the first place.

And he _was_ going to be in for a very long night, but little did he know that he was also going to be spending one of the best nights of his life with the girl he had quietly been in love with for so long.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hi guys, I'm sorry it's been so long! The Easter Holidays have ended for me last week and I have been having school, so with the workload, I couldn't keep up with the writing. But it's here now, Chapter Ten! And for this one, I've actually had gotten my friend to help me with some of these ideas just now, so Rita if you're reading this, thank you. :) I'm also aware of the fact that I'm blabbering and you all probably want to go ahead, dive in and read the story. So... I apologise again. Enjoy Ten. x**

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"Hey Carl, thanks for the call. Appreciate it, man. Where's Ted?" Barney spluttered as he raced into the bar, determined to get this over and done with as quickly as possible. Scanning the room for him, he held a surprised look when he saw Robin sitting there instead.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's _Robin_ that is here, not Ted?" Carl sighed, directing Barney to a corner where she was sitting, alone and extremely drunk.

"Uh, like zero?" Barney raised an eyebrow at Carl before heading straight to Robin, who looked worse by the second. He slid in the seat beside her and after some effort, managed to put his arm around her shoulder, holding her close with her head resting on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, stroking her hair as she wept silently in his arms. He waited patiently for her reply, but as soon as she uttered a sound, he seemed to have changed his mind. "Wait, no… Don't." He silenced her with the touch of his finger on her lips, surprising her.

Not wanting to interrupt them but feeling a little awkward in the situation, Carl cleared his throat and continued polishing his glassware in a weird manner.

Being the only people left in the bar, Barney realised the only reason Carl was still standing behind the counter was because of them. Thinking logically and not wanting to bother the poor bartender further, he propped Robin up, dabbing at her face with a clean tissue, trying his best in removing the tearstains that had formed hours ago. "I think what you need to do right now is go home. So let's get you home, shall we?"

Robin stared at him in confusion and let out a reluctant whine, like one of a child's when told the Sun is setting and she needed to go home. Giving an encouraging smile, he got up and helped her as she did the same but with great effort.

"Thanks Carl," Barney mustered while half carrying and half dragging Robin out of the bar and into the cold and busy streets. It took a while, but eventually they managed to get a cab and back to her apartment.

"There, there…" Barney whispered, finally settling on the couch after a cab ride that seemed to have taken forever.

Robin, having sobered up slightly, surprised him when she burst into tears all of a sudden. She wept and wept, but this time, instead of weeping for Sam and their wilted relationship, she wept for herself.

"Robin… Please don't do this. Can we talk about it? Don't leave stuff all bottled up. It's not healthy. Come on, you can trust me. Maybe not Ted, but you can definitely trust me, because I'm awesome."

"I'm not sure about anything at all," She mumbled, blinking back tears. "I mean… I think I know what I need to do right now. I need to… Get him out of my system. But how I am going to do it… I have no idea."

"Get him out of your system?" Barney repeated after her, wondering out loud.

"Yeah… Like… I mean, I don't know. I've heard it works. To just do something so crazy you forget about someone completely. I just haven't figured out what that thing will be."

"Oh… Okay. We can brainstorm if you like. Though personally, I don't believe in brainstorming. Don't ask why. I just don't." He shrugged, then seemed to realise whatever he had just said might have ended up hurting her. Not wanting to make her think otherwise, he cleared his throat and quickly thought of something encouraging he could say. "And what I meant by that, was… You know, we could get a piece of paper and write down how much of a jerk he was, that Sam. Or we can just laugh at him and you can tell me he wears ugly underwear or something."

"Barney… Thanks, but no… I don't think that would be very nice. I mean, I need to get him out of the way, not talk about him all night long. But thanks anyway… And, really? Is that all you've got? Come on, Stinson. I am expecting better ideas from that awful mind of yours." Cheering up now, she challenged him to a mini competition for the best idea.

"Challenge accepted. You're going to regret this, Scherbatsky," Barney grinned, causing his lady friend to do the same, and to do so for the first time in a month.

"Okay, I'll start." Robin piped up a little, feeling even slightly whimsical. "How about we talk about those attractive people from The Avengers? I really, really like Captain America. He's very… Attractive. Lord, have you seen his eyes? He's like a little puppy. The things I would do to him are-"

Before Robin could finish her sentence, Barney leaned in for a kiss, surprising them both. He leaned in for a kiss, but not just for any kind of kiss. He did not do a crappy one where he slobbered all over her and he did not settle for a quick peck on the lips. He placed his hand on her back, pulling her closer, savouring the full of her lips and the taste of her skin.

And willingly, she allowed herself to kiss him back, garnering all the taste his tender lips would allow.

"Barney… I think you beat me. You win. You got me and you got me good." Robin muttered, in between kisses, in which Barney only responded by kissing her even harder. They got up clumsily, still kissing and making out, and proceeded to her bedroom, knocking over things as they moved and Robin instantly regretting not having cleaned her bedroom all week.

Clothes, tissues and books were strewn across the carpet and the room looked like it had been ransacked, but upon noticing the fact that Barney had either decided not to care or just had not noticed the enormous mess at all, she let it go as well.

They both knew they were about to commit possibly the biggest mistake of all time and they both knew this hook-up could potentially ruin their years-long friendship, _but if this is wrong, then why the hell is it feeling so right?_

Despite their conscience warning them, they ignored the doubtful voices in their heads. They had gone too far now, too far to stop. Besides, it was not like they would have, even if both had suddenly changed their minds.

Settling on her bed and kissing franticly, they allowed their bodies to intertwine, all the time wondering why they were doing this, all the time demanding an explanation or even a word of reassurance. And knowing they would both regret it in the morning, they went forth with their actions anyway, ditching all the consequences they will have to face in ten hours, crossing all the lines in an honest friendship_._


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: It's been a while, but here's 11. Enjoy! P.s. I passed 4k views and got a ton of really lovely comments, thank you so much! :-) **

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"Oh God…" was the first words Robin managed as she struggled to sit up straight against her bed. "What have I done?"

Furrowing her brow, she stared at Barney, who was still under the warm and crumpled sheets, making a slight dent in the pillow that rested below his neck. And there she sat, indecisively, wanting to block out last night's memories but at the same time wanting to know what exactly happened.

The truth is, to say she had regretted last night's sudden hook-up would be an understatement. However… There was another thought that lingered in her mind like a bug on a leaf that just would not go away. A thing she did not quite understand. Emotions she felt but did not exactly know how to interpret. Last night was not a random occurrence. There had been a feeling there, and she was certain of it. There had been the kinds of feelings people normally were not able to put names to. Or could she?

Before Robin had a chance to clarify her doubts, a little murmur escaped from the other side of the bed, and her gaze shifted to Barney, who was now jittering in his sleep. She sighed and then displayed a wistful smile as she noticed how peaceful he looked in his sleep.

Barney was still sound asleep at that point and she hesitated to wake him, but then changed her mind. She just did not feel like dealing with this icky thing called feelings right now.

Still deep in thought, Robin felt a sudden surge and tightness in her throat. She choked a little and before she knew it, she had run to the bathroom, bent over the toilet and puked the after effects of the alcohol she had last night.

_Of course, a hangover._

With the amount of alcohol she had consumed just twelve hours ago, she was quite surprised she had not end up puking before. Rinsing the acidic taste from her mouth, she stepped into the shower, in hopes of a fresh start somehow.

* * *

"What?" Barney yawned as he sat up in confusion. "Robin?"

Feeling the emptiness in the apartment, he got up slowly, still trying to recall the events of the night before. _Did last night actually happen? Yes, he was sure it had. But no… This could not be. How? When? What?_

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind as he peeped around the house in search of Robin. After a somewhat thorough walk around the flat, he had realised that she was nowhere to be found. Sighing, Barney walked to the bathroom where he found a message hastily written in lipstick on the bathroom mirror.

'Off to get breakfast, be back later' was what the message read.

"Wow, breakfast after a one night stand? God, this woman is perfect." Barney smiled slightly as he cleaned the message off the mirror, a task he eventually had a tough time doing, as the lipstick really did cling to the mirror, just like it would on a person's lips.

After a few scrubs, he managed to clean the mirror for the most part. He smiled at his work in pride and satisfaction, feeling happy for himself.

A jingling sound of the person fumbling for their keys was heard from the hallway and Barney heard a click sound as the door unlocked. _Robin!_

He sprung from where he was and ran to the door, awaiting the beautiful lady he was certain would appear behind the wood. And he was right.

"Barney, you're up." Robin raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised at the sight of a slick-clean Barney. "I brought… Breakfast. Yeah. I think you saw the message." Awkwardly shuffling into her flat, she smiled wistfully at him while biting her lip, praying he would not bring up anything about the events of the night before.

"Yeah, that was a bit hard to scrub off. You really should invest in Post-its." He responded uncomfortable, once feeling the tension between them.

Robin laughed, but her laugh seemed strained. "Let's have breakfast? I bought doughnuts. These are almost as good as Tim Horton's back home. You'll like them, I think."

Barney agreed and they dug in. There was a light atmosphere in the room as they nibbled on their breakfast, but also a silent tension as both prayed the conversation topic of the previous night would not pop up and as both avoided The Talk as best as they could.

Robin sipped at her tea, her mind bothered. '_Could this be leading to something more? Could this potentially destroy a friendship that had been so firm only hours ago? Why Barney? Why me? Why?'_


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This is probably the longest chapter ever, but I probably won't be updating as often (again!) as I have my first round of exams in May. So... I hope this terribly lengthy chapter makes up as an apology! Ha. Enjoy. :)**

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"Lily!" Robin cried out the second she closed the apartment door behind her, out of breath. Staggering into the flat, she gestured for her best friend to go over to her.

"Robin? What happened?" exclaimed Lily, an expression of concern hung on her face replacing the welcoming smile she had just seconds ago.

"I… Last night. I've made a bad decision. Bad. _Very_ bad. Wrong. I hate myself for this. It's just… Awful." Robin spluttered, her voice strained, while settling on the couch. "I need to tell you this. And I know you're going to judge me. But I don't care. Because you need to know."

Her expression now a mix of concern and frustration, Lily motioned for her best friend to shut the hell up immediately. "Robin! You're not telling me anything. Calm down this instant! And tell me."

"Okay. But are you sure you want to hear about this? I mean you can still change your mind, like, right now." Robin's expression was meek, like a child confessing a bad deed to a parent.

"I do."

"Yeah, but are you_ really_ sure?"

"God, Robin, I am. You're the one who's got me all confused and wondering – come on. Spill it. Now, Scherbatsky."

"Okay. Um, I don't know how to start, so long story short… I slept with Barney-"

"_You did WHAT?_" Lily jumped. "You slept with – of all people – _Barney_? How did that even happen? Weren't you… Last night… _What_?"

"I know, Lil. Can we please not… Mention it anymore? I know what you're going to say about this. But I didn't come for a lecture. I mean, if I wanted one I would have gone to Ted's and told him about it."

Letting out a nervous chuckle, Robin took a deep breath. "I just want – no, I _need_ – some advice. And the only person I know well enough is you, Lily."

"Robin – I don't know what to say. The only thing I can quite manage is 'wow' because… Well, it's pretty wow. Wait, did Barney…" Lily trailed off, then seemed to have changed her mind on finishing her sentence.

"Did Barney what?" Robin prodded, confused by what her best friend already knew.

_No, he could not have told her he loved her. That'd just be a weird time._

Shaking her head, Lily ignored her best friend's question, answering her own instead. "No, he didn't. And I know he didn't because you would have told me. Again… Wow."

"Did he what?" Robin asked again, her curiousity building up.

"Nothing! I was thinking about something else which also just happens to be completely irrelevant. You came for advice, didn't you? And what seems to be the other problem, aside from the whole 'sleeping with Barney' thing? Or is that part of the problem somehow?" Lily quipped, changing the topic.

"Right... Problem. The problem is… I'm 99% certain I don't like Barney in that way. The icky, middle-school 'like-like' kind of like, you know?" Robin stated, stringing her words together carefully, frowning.

Raising an eyebrow, her best friend glanced at her. "That's not a problem, that's a statement."

"I wasn't done yet. What I meant was, I'm 99% I don't like Barney, but-"

"But…?"

"But I'm having this really weird feeling right now. It's like… It's about last night. I thought there was something there. I thought there was something between us. But I couldn't quite put a name to it. It's just… It's weird, Lil."

"You're 99% sure you don't like Barney," Lily repeated slowly.

"That would be right."

"Do you think… Look. Maybe sometimes… It's not about the 99%, but the 1%?" She prodded, approaching the topic with caution.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You and Barney. There _is _something there. You guys have the chemistry. Even I can feel it."

"That's crazy! I will never fall for someone like him. It's not like me at all. Besides, he'd never fall for me either. I'm not his type. His type is a pretty blonde with a big rack. I'm a brunette. With an average bra size. It doesn't add up!" Robin panicked, clearly in denial.

Lily opened her mouth to refute her, and with that, the best friends hit off a round of heated debate over who had the better theory - the right one - a debate which soon came to a quick end as they got tired of playing Sherlock Holmes. Sitting limply on the couch, the two each let out an exasperated sigh, unsure of what to say next.

For a person who loved having the last word, Lily spoke up eventually, managing a wistful smile.

"Robin… You're the only one who knows you feel. If you really are in love with him… I want you to know that that's fine. You're both my good friends and you guys being together would be the cutest thing. So once you have your mind made up, you should go for it at full speed and you should do it alone this time. Because I can't decide for you, nor can I for Barney, in his case. They're _your_ feelings after all."

Touched, Robin turned her head to glance at Lily, her eyes almost watery, which was an unusual sight. "I know what you mean. Thanks, Lil. You're the best. Really."

Casting a grin this time, the two were glad this was resolved.

"No problemo, anytime, it's all good. And if it's not, it's going to be, very soon. You're my best friend, okay? And this is about what makes you happy. Not me, not Barney, not anyone else. Okay, maybe Barney, a little bit. But don't you ever feel like you're not good enough for anyone else, because chances are, it's often the reverse. You are good, Robin Scherbatsky. You are awfully good. The best a man can find. So remember that. Remember that and you're good to go."


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Okay - I'm aware this is a ****_really_**** long chapter, and yes, believe it or not, but I've tried to keep it short and then failed. However, it's also got loads of good stuff (I think!) in it, so I figured I'd just leave you guys with this before I get way too involved with my academics, which, I think, I will very soon - as my first Math paper is currently in a weeks' time. (Crying noise of a baby seal) - Enjoy. :)**

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_I'm going to talk to Barney about it like a mature adult. No crying, no yelling, and most importantly, no hooking up. Just talking. Plain, sensible talking._

Robin sighed; pushing open the door that led to the café she had asked Barney to meet her in two hours ago. Glancing up, she spotted Barney sitting casually in a table for two in the corner. Upon noticing her arrival, he stood up abruptly, a cheesy grin broke out on his face.

"Hey Robs, this café is pretty neat." He commented, pulling out the chair and helping her in.

"Thanks. And don't call me Robs. Nicknames aren't my thing," Robin tried to smile but it only came out as a grim attempt. Unsure of how to approach the whole 'talking about her feelings' thing, she bit her lip. "Barney… I need to talk to you. It's kind of important. And I just thought-"

Her sentence was interrupted by the chirpy voice of a waitress who stood patiently beside the table for two. "Hi, excuse me, can I take your order?"

Barney looked up to where the waitress stood and the broad smile appeared once again on his face. "We'll both have coffee, thanks."

"Coffee for two, lovely." The waitress repeated, making a little note on her notepad which, Robin later noticed, all the waitresses in the café had.

"Yep, thanks." Barney confirmed, still smiling. He was, without a doubt, in a happy mood, with Robin sat in front of him on a sunny afternoon like this, having coffee, just talking about the little things in life that did not make sense.

The waitress returned the friendly smile, turned on her heels and walked off. As soon as she did, Robin took a deep breath. _You have to tell him. Lily's right. Talk about your feelings. Come on. _Her inner self was urging for her to speak up, but somehow her throat had run dry and no matter how much she willed, she could not bring herself to talk about a sensitive topic like this one.

"Are you feeling okay? You seem a little… Dull. Irritated. Restless. I don't know. You seem very un-you." Barney observed, the excitement in his tone decreasing ever so slightly. "You said you needed to talk to me?"

"Yeah. I mean, yes, I do. And it's important. I-"

She was interrupted the second time by the same waitress, who, this time, placed their coffee on the table and then left swiftly, leaving them alone once again.

"Um, Barney." Robin sighed and started again, with a hint of hurry and irritation in her voice as Barney sipped his coffee slowly and calmly; obviously still completely unaware of the topic she was about to bring up. "We need to talk about this."

"About what?"

She hesitated for a while, her finger drawing invisible circles on the tabletop. "About us."

"What about us?"

"Barney – I don't mean to be rude or harsh but… Please don't act like you don't know what I'm about to say. We need to talk about this. _Us._ Our relationship. I need to know what's going on right now."

Letting out the breath he was holding, Barney looked up from his coffee and straight into Robin's eyes, making her twitch in her seat uncomfortably.

"We need to talk… Okay…" He started, his words lingering in the air.

"Yes, we do. We need to talk about it… I just want to tell you that, well, that night… I…" Her confident tone now faded out, she simply shrugged, ending the sentence. "I mean, that night, I thought I felt… Something. Something was there. I think. I'm not so sure anymore."

Still trying to figure out what to say next, the two sat opposite each other awkwardly, sipping on their coffee. Out of nowhere and all of a sudden, they heard a familiar warm voice that somehow made the two recall some very bitter memories.

"Robin?"

It was Sam.

Barney raised his eyebrow, wondering what the fellow was up to this time, while Robin, still having her back facing Sam, rolled her eyes.

_Perfect timing. This is going to be disastrous._

Turning around, she smiled, her smile meek but showed clearly she was annoyed to have him around at this time. "Hi Sam," she greeted him through gritted teeth.

Sam - either completely missing the coldness of her voice or just chose to ignore it - piped up a laugh, holding his hands out in exaggeration and for a hug. "Robin! It's really you!"

Not returning the hug, she stared at him blankly. "Yes… It's really me."

Her brain processed and clicked, trying to take in the fact that, well, Sam was really there.

_Is this the kind of stuff ex-couples say to each other now? Or, rather, is this the kind of stuff ex-boyfriends say and do to the girl they broke up with over dinner barely two months ago, after bumping into her at a totally random café they both happened to be at in present time?_

Noting the weird feeling hanging in the air, Sam paused, eyeing Barney who was still sitting there, swirling his cup of coffee in his hand. "Is this… A bad time?"

"Yes," Robin replied, a bit too quickly. Realising her response may just have seemed a little rude, she changed her mind. "I mean, no. Yes. No. Maybe. Not really. Go on. I have some time I suppose."

"Um, okay… Listen, can we talk in private?"

"No, I think we're good here."

"Well, okay. If you insist." Sam cleared his throat, giving Barney another odd glance, which the two found strange. "The thing is… Robin. I realised… _I realised I've been wrong all this time_. I've been wrong about _us_. I realised we _could_ make this work. It had been working so well before… _That_. We are like a well-oiled machine."

Robin gulped. _Uh oh._

"Ever since I've left you… I couldn't stop thinking about it, nor could I stop thinking about you, more importantly. You've never left my mind. I was wrong about everything. And I was wrong to have second-guessed our relationship. I think… I love you… Again. I will love you, again, this time even better. And this time I won't walk away. This time… I'm never going to leave. It's just… I've missed you so, honey. Please come home with me. I'm… I was wrong. You're the best woman I've ever dated and I really want to continue what we had. It was special, you and I both know it… And I'll never leave you, I promise, baby. Not this time round."

_No! Damn it. Here. Now. In public. Saying this. This man has no shame at all. __**Damn it!**_

Robin, stunned and paralysed at Sam's sudden strong approach, paused in her tracks. At the same time, Barney stopped sipping on his cup of coffee and got up to his feet, visibly seething.

"No!" Barney growled angrily at Sam, who seemed as genuinely shocked as Robin did to his response. "You don't _deserve_ Robin. You don't deserve her _at all_."

Trying to keep things under control, Robin tried calming him down by gesturing for him to sit back down. "Barney, thanks, but I think I can handle this. I'm not… I'm not past Robin. This is a new Robin. And this Robin can handle this." Her reply came smoothly and she was surprised at how successful she had faked her calm voice, at least compared to the men, who had not even tried to tone it down at all.

"No, _let me do this_. **_Let me say this_**," Barney turned to face Robin and lowered his voice a little, "because I need to."

Turning back to where Sam stood confidently, even when he had the biggest urge to crawl under the table.

_I mean, damn, that man had some muscles._

"Sam – listen. Like I said, you don't deserve Robin at all. And I think it's clear why. You've broken up with her on the night she thought you would propose-"

Robin felt her face flush slightly at the embarrassing memory but Barney went on, his voice quivering less and less with each syllable leaving the tip of his tongue, getting the hang of it.

"And after you left, she was a _mess_. It was like she had fallen off a cliff and had her heart crushed into a million pieces. I had never seen my friend cry so much over a guy before but congratulations man, because you've done it. She cried for you and she tried to get over you so desperately, which she did eventually, after so much work in finding the pieces that had fallen apart. So when she's finally gotten over you, you're not allowed to step into the picture again and ask her to take you back, because I know she will soften and agree. And what will you do then? You will screw her over again. You're not what she's looking for and you're not what she needs. You've never made her feel special. You don't even know her favourite colour. You've made her gone through emotional hell once, Sam. And frankly, I think once is enough. I cannot and _will not_ let that happen to the most amazing human being I know."

The three stood in their little cosy corner in absolute seriousness, poised, though thankfully, no one else in the café seemed to have noticed the ordeal just yet.

Barney was on a roll now, unfazed by anything.

"And you know why?" he continued, his voice growing stronger by the second. "Because I care about her. And… This may come across as a shock to her, plus I can't believe I'm saying this, but… _I love this little tiger._ I love her, Sam. I love her more than I could ever tell her and I love her more than you have ever during those years. I love her with all my stupid pathetic heart. I love her in the disgusting, childish middle-school kind of way and I love her in the 'I'll bring you soup and take of you when you're sick' kind of way. I love every single part of her, from the split ends she hates to that one freckle on her neck she's not quite sure how she got. _I am completely and irrevocably in love with her in every single possible way_. And now - **this** is love. Not your desperate wish for another meaningless fling with my favourite person in the world. You can do this with any other girl but you can't do this to Robin, because she is my girl. And if you touch her, I _will _dislocate your jaw, this is one thing I can promise."

He finished, breathing hard. _What the hell, did I really just say all of that?_ Turning back to Robin, he was astonished to find that she was now biting her nails and not even looking at him in the eye.

Truth to be told, he had expected some dramatic, overwhelming scene following his speech that should at least include Robin enveloping him into a big hug, touched by his announcement of love, no matter how unexpected that turned out to be.

Instead, he found himself caught between the same old silent, stressful tension between the love of his life and her ex-boyfriend. And neither of them was looking at him in the eye, one so flustered and blushing crimson, she looked like she wanted to vaporise into thin air, and the other… Well, the other just looking downright irritated and irked.

Robin, knowing she needed to flee the scene as soon as possible, finally picked up whatever bit of courage she had left and spoke up, her voice faint and cracking as she did.

"I'm sorry… I… I think I need to get a breath of fresh air right now. I'll just… Excuse me if I'll just… I think I'll just go now."

Half wanting to explain his little absurd speech and half wanting to help her take her mind off things somehow, Barney offered, worriedly, to follow her.

"I'll go with you."

And came was the cracked voice she had managed to find from the back of her throat, but this time, surprisingly, with a newfound firmness to it. "No… Barney. You stay. It's just… It's kind of hard to face the two of you right now. I'm sorry. I'm going to be okay. Just let me… Breathe."

Laying a $10 on the table, Robin stalked off the café with her head hung low, pushing open the two-way door she had done just moments ago, with a completely different mood. And off she went, breathing hard and having her heart about to thump out of her chest, she breezed through the streets and into the fresh air, in hopes of clearing her head.

That was _totally_ not how she had been expecting their 'talk' to have turned out.

_And_ _Lily__** really**__ needs to know all about it._


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Hi guys! I finished my Math paper two days ago and I just thought I'd do two quick uploads of Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen seeing as I've finished writing the two this morning when I had some free time. :)**

* * *

Robin was back at her apartment now, snuggled on the couch alone. She was desperate for some advice and she knew one person she could trust with all her life. Hitting speed dial on her phone, the sound of her best friend's voice mail came in reach.

"Hey, it's Lily Aldrin. I'm busy right now, but feel free to leave a voicemail after the beep. Though I don't check and haven't been checking this thing for as long as I've bought this phone. Which is seventeen months. But whatever."

The little beep came on shortly after her message and Robin sighed, hanging up. She then typed out a hefty message, and before sending it; she glanced at the clock on her phone. It's midday. And she clicked, realising her best friend was due to have a meal with a few parents from her kindergarten class.

Not wanting to be selfish, she deleted her already typed out message, replacing it with 'accidentally speed-dialled your number sorry!' and sent that message instead, determined to grow up and sort things out alone this time.

She'd still tell Lily about it, she thought, since they had been best friends for as long as she had set foot in the hustle bustle of New York City. And they basically tell each other everything, as best friends do, whether the news was good or bad. But she'd only tell her after she has resolved the problem.

Truth is, she had also been loading her problems on Lily for the longest time, and she felt a little like a burden. Though her best friend had – often times – reminded her that friends were there for a reason and they could always talk about her boy problems, she felt as though she had been pestering her a lot more than usual lately and she did not want to be the annoying problematic friend Lily may soon view her as if she continued.

It was time to grow up, and this was the best opportunity to do so.

Giving herself a little imaginary pat on the shoulder, Robin was about to put her phone away when she felt it buzz continuously. Could it be Barney? She had not talked to him since… Well, a few hours ago was all, to be honest. Which would be okay for two casual friends, but then again, they weren't exactly two casual friends with their mixed feelings towards each other. Plus, the two had become so close-knitted since her break-up it was a bit unusual for them not to be exchanging stupid messages containing either funny pictures or lame jokes every other hour and as much as they could.

Still, this time round, she was not sure if she was ready to face him just yet, her head a sea of conflicting emotions.

She picked up the phone, crossing her fingers, all the time not knowing what she was actually crossing her fingers for. The caller ID was unknown.

_It's not Barney._

Robin felt a rush of relief coming over her, but at the same time, her shoulders dropped visibly.

_Why hasn't he called?_

Realising the thought had subconsciously popped up in her head; she shook it off, still in denial.

_But not like I wanted him to call me anyway._

Picking up the phone, she accepted the call.

"Hello?" she murmured into her phone, not knowing what to expect.

Her mumble was droned out by the quick "Robin!" that rang from the other side of the line, a hint of concern lining the voice of the caller.

_It's Barney._

Upon hearing his voice, she did a double take, confused, angry and relieved at the same time.

**_"Barney?"_**

"Robin, look, I'm sorry if you don't want me to talk to you. I'm just worried about you. I need to see you. Really."

Ignoring his whine, she hesitated. "Wait… You were unknown on my caller ID."

"That's because I figured… Well…" A huff came from the end of the line, followed by a tone of voice that seemed somewhat embarrassed. "I figured you wouldn't pick up if I called from my cell phone, because then my name would light up and you would probably not know what to do. Or you would know what to do – you'd end up throwing your phone against the wall, that's what you'd do."

_He knew,_ she thought.

Trying not to chuckle at the accuracy of his theory, she faked a cough and cleared her throat. "Well… Yeah. Um, I've got to go. You were worried, but I'm fine. I'll just go off- Bye, see you soon-"

"No! Really. Come on. I thought we were more mature than this."

"Well… I'm afraid you're mistaken. Robin Scherbatsky doesn't do mature." This time failing to compress her laughter, she found herself in a quiet fit of giggles.

The tone of voice at the end of the line was relieved again, this time almost gleeful. "Well, I'm glad you're your old self again, Robin."

"And… Same here. Look – I know running off like that didn't help. But I'm just… I was so confused. I was confused because I thought, well, you and I… Never going to happen." She drifted off into deep thought, and then suddenly snapped back to reality as she registered what she had just said. Speaking quickly, she corrected herself. "I mean, not like I was hoping for that to happen or anything. _I was just saying._ And I hope we're not weird now. I just want everything to reset and-"

She was interrupted mid-sentence to the buzz of her phone in her hand.

The Caller ID was unknown. Again.

"-Hey um, look, I've got an incoming call that may be Work calling. I don't know. There's no Caller ID. So I'll just… We'll talk about it soon, okay? I promise. Just… Not right now." Robin muttered as she ended the call before Barney could say no.

Accepting the incoming call, she sighed. What was with everybody, doing the 'unknown Caller ID' thing?

"Hello?" She spoke formally, praying it would not be a call from one of her co-workers.

"Robin?"

_"Sam?"_


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: I thought a little 'summary' would be pretty much needed so here's one, probably just for this chapter as you all will scream or throw things against a wall after reading this chapter. Okay, so anyway, Robin's still confused about her relationship with Barney and you could tell she's (slightly) in denial hence she does the thing she does in this chapter. Before you start yelling at Robin (or me) please do consider this is happening to her and when things happen to you... You often don't make very good decisions. So, ha, okay, I'll stop spoiling everything now. Happy reading. :)**

* * *

Robin let out a loud grumble but didn't hang up immediately as she had thought she would.

"What are you doing- _Why are you even calling?_" Her voice was tired and slightly annoyed. "We are done with. We are past tense. Please stop this little game you're playing because it's clear you're the one who is making the rules and I'm not your puppet."

She fidgeted, waiting for what he had to say.

Sam hesitated, never having Robin talk to him in this tone of immense dislike. He spoke, eventually, his voice genuine apologetic, surprising her.

"Robin, listen… Don't be mad. Please don't. I'm not playing any game here. I'm not doing anything here. I just want us to talk about this morning. Please."

"Well I don't want to talk. So goodbye-"

"No! Stop it. Stop doing this. Can we please just talk about it? Robin, honey, you're making it so difficult."

Robin's tongue curled, insulted. "_I'm_ making it difficult? And don't call me honey. I'm not your honey."

He seemed to have realised he had offended her, because right there and then, he quickly changed his tone, this time to an even more 'puppy-like-please-forgive-me' one. "No, I mean… Well, you know what I mean."

She ignored his rough attempt at an apology and instead lashed out a harsh reply. "No, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean. Tell me what you mean, Sam."

"I… I'm sorry." His voice was much less confident now, his volume decreasing.

"It's funny because you're not."

"I am. I'm sorry. I messed up." He paused, and she could hear him take a deep breath. "I messed up! I had one great woman in my life and you know what I did? I messed up."

She was silent at the end of the line, holding her breath, regretfully forming a soft spot for this man she had dated for so long once again.

"You did. You messed up real bad," she whispered, her voice barely audible now, gulping back the tears that had formed as she clung onto the memories of the past three years of her life with Sam, the memories she had tried so hard to forget the second he broke up with her. But it was all coming back now, everything she had tried so hard to put away.

The first outing she had with him, the time she had insisted on riding on the white horse in the carousel in Central Park but only ended up in one of the carriages, the first proper date they had when they were both too nervous to speak, their first kiss, one of the best kisses she had in her entire life, the first time he bedded her, that amazing smell of aftershave she took in as she buried her face into his chest during their cuddles, and the first time she met his parents, how delighted she was when she had found out, from him, that his parents had loved her.

Robin recalled their first everything, feeling as though there was a thorn stuck in her heart, a thorn only Sam could remove.

"Sam…" She whispered, almost whimpering, afraid to finish her sentence.

"Yes?"

"What you said this morning… That whole speech… Was that true? You love me? How can you love me? I don't understand. You were the one who broke up with me."

"It _was_ true. I've missed out on such a beautiful woman by hurting her. And I hate myself for it. And… I was hoping you'd give me another chance… To redeem myself. To prove I can be a good boyfriend, and possibly, a good husband. I want you to know that… That I never meant to hurt you. I just… I freaked out because we have been dating for three years and I thought our relationship wasn't going anywhere because I didn't know what you wanted. Or what I wanted. Or what we wanted out of the relationship. I was afraid you'd grow sick of me. I completely… I'll just have you know I was so nervous, and then scared, when I saw the look in your eyes that night, the look that had always made me feel weak. I thought I wasn't ready then, and I probably wasn't. But I am now."

Sam spluttered, nervous.

"Sam…" Robin whispered again, unsure of what to say, still.

She didn't know what to do.

She knew Lily would have said no, and she knew Barney would have wanted her to say no as well. But Sam… It was tempting. He was her first official boyfriend after all, and guess what? His parents had loved her like she was their child. It was perfect back then. And they broke up because they were not ready, but… It's different the second time round. _This time round,_ _they were ready_. It wouldn't have worked with past Sam and Robin, but… This time – this relationship could actually go somewhere.

_It was the kind of relationship that was rare and real,_ she thought, as she contemplated her choices_. We could make it happen again, could we not?_

Meanwhile, Sam never stopped speaking, coming up with reasons, all the time persuading her and hoping she'd say yes.

"I know, I know – you could say I found the right one at the wrong time. And… I think we can do this again. If you want to, I mean. If you're willing to give this another shot. I would be… Thrilled. I love you, I really do. I'm just… I won't be scared this time round. I promise. I've… Changed, I suppose. I'm not the person I used to be. And with this change, I realised I couldn't bear with the thought of spending the rest of my life without someone that is not you. I had been blind, but I love you and I'm sure of it now. There's no changing of my mind. Please… Please give this another shot. Please give me another chance."

_Perhaps he does really love me._

"…Yes." She muttered after a while, clearly breathless. "Yes. I'm willing to give this another shot."

There was a release of breath in the end of the line and she pictured Sam smiling, smiling with triumph, smiling because… He got the girl.

And she smiled, knowing she was the girl he got.

"I'm…" Though still apologetic, she could, without a doubt, hear the joy in his voice. "I'm so sorry, again. I know… This may be a bad time, but I'm going to give you all my love this time round. Not like I wasn't the last time, but… This time I would do it with a certainty. Meaning no more chickening out on commitment. Because I love you, I'm sure about that and I want the world to see you be with me."

Robin felt butterflies in her stomach, the girly, lovely kind, and she had tried to hide it, but her own self had given her away, her voice leaking with newfound happiness.

"Sam?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

_"You're an idiot."_


	16. Chapter 16

"Lily – Sam and I are together." Robin announced as she stepped into Lily's apartment, a hint of excitement in her voice. "We just had our first date. Again."

Lily, upon hearing the 'announcement', dropped whatever she was doing, lost. _Surely Robin wouldn't confuse the words 'Sam' and 'Barney'?_

"What?" The best friend questioned, falling further into the hole of confusion.

"Sam and I are toge-" Robin started again, holding the cheerful tone.

"No, no. I mean, I heard you. Sam and you are together. But… Are you sure… It's not 'Barney' you're talking about here? Is Sam the new code name for Barney or something?" Lily fidgeted.

"No it's not. It's Sam. My ex-boyfriend who is also currently my boyfriend. Okay, that didn't make sense."

"No… That didn't. But… Sam? …Why? What about Barney? I thought you were going to talk to him about it?"

"Okay… Wait. Wait. One question at a time," Robin replied, taking a beer from the fridge and settling onto the couch where Lily had been sitting all along, planning her kindergarten field trip that will take place next week.

"Sam and I are together. I'm sure Barney told you about what happened at the café… Did he?"

"Yes, he did… So, continue…" Lily prodded, with an expression Robin couldn't quite identify with.

"So anyway, they both called me up after that… And it was really weird. Barney called me up first, actually, but then I was interrupted by another phone call – to which, I didn't know was Sam, since he had put on unknown Caller ID – and then he asked me out, I said yes, and bam, we're together." Robin shrugged, sipping on her beer.

"Wait, what? I need time to process this. You, Sam, couple." Lily panicked, then frowned. "No."

"What do you mean?"

"No, you and Sam are not getting back together."

"Lily!" Robin exclaimed. "You're my best friend! You're supposed to be supportive!"

"Yes, but no! You are not getting back together with that loser. He's hurt you once and he will do it again. What about Barney?"

"I am getting back together with him. In fact, I already did. He's a changed man, he really is. And why do you always have to bring Barney up?" Robin rolled her eyes, throwing her hand in the air, gesturing.

Lily sighed. "He's not a changed man. I know guys don't change like that. He ran off for another girl. Don't act like you're happy being his consolation prize. Because that's what you are. You are the back-up plan, honey. And you're so much better than a back-up plan. I don't want you get hurt again."

"Lily, you've been dating _one_ guy for nine years. Stop acting like you know the entire male population. Why do you always think you're the boss of me? I'm not your child!"

Lily gasped, shocked and upset at what she had just heard. "We're best friends, but don't you dare talk to me in this tone. You know I'm doing this for your own good. He's not worth your second chance. He's using you. Wake up, Robin Scherbatsky!"

Robin paused, seething.

"And what makes _you_ think you can talk to me in this tone?" She stood up, tears stinging her eyes. "I can't believe you, Lily. You're supposed to be supportive, not yell at me! I don't care if this upsets you, I am dating Sam and that's final!"

Taking big strides to the door, Robin put her beer in the rubbish bin on her way out and slammed the door to the apartment, trying hard not to cry as shouts of 'Robin! Come back!' pierced through her ears.

Back in the apartment, Lily slouched on her armchair._ "What am I supposed to do in a situation like this?"_ She muttered, frustrated and concerned about her best friend's strange behaviour.


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you sure this will work? I mean… It's risky. I don't want her to hate us." Lily questioned, nervous and unsure.

"No I can't guarantee this will work. And it's risky… But it's worth a shot." Barney responded, his confidence empowering her nervousness.

"Okay then… What have we got to lose anyway?" she shrugged.

"Exactly. Nothing."

Putting up the Intervention banner, they set up the scene, prepping their speeches until there was a polite knock on the door.

"Come in, door's unlocked." Lily announced through gritted teeth as Sam awkwardly strolled into the living room, surprised at Robin's absence.

"Where's Robin?" He wondered out loud, scanning the apartment, waiting for the moment his girlfriend jumps out to remind him it's some kind of anniversary he's missed.

"She's not here." Barney declared, in a matter of fact way. "It's you… And us."

"Okay…" Sam nodded slowly, looking up and noticing the Intervention banner. "Oh! I see where this is going. I promise I've got the smoking situation under control. I haven't been doing it for a while. Actually, eight months. I've also cut down on drinking. So, guys, sorry about that. I'm clean." He chuckled, raising his arms in the air.

"Wow – good for you," Lily replied, her tone implying she was genuinely impressed. And she was.

_So maybe he really had made an effort to change for good…_

Sensing the look on her face, Barney knew something was going to go wrong. "Lily." He muttered, clearing his throat, as he tried communicating with her through the raising of his eyebrows, something Barney insisted they had to master just minutes before Sam's arrival.

_Lily! We're not here to celebrate Sam's achievements, no matter how cool they may sound. We're here to remind him of the jerk he is and possibly chase him away from Robin. All right?_

Getting the message, Lily gulped.

_Okay, fine, understood._

"So… Sam. Do you know why you're here?" she smiled earnestly, but it was the kind of smile that sent shivers down spines.

"No. Not really." He replied, suspicion rising.

"Well… You're here for us to remind you of the jerk you are." Barney mused, still smiling.

"Barney!" Lily exclaimed, taking a jab at his shoulder. "Don't say that."

"Well, it's true. It's better to just get to the point anyway. Look Sam. We know what you're doing here. You're playing games with Robin. You don't want her back. You just don't want to wind up alone so you want a back-up plan. And we," Barney gestured at Lily and himself, "after seeing through your mess of a plan, are not going to allow that. Sorry buddy."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about?" Sam stuttered a little, taken aback by their direct approach. "I'm not using her."

"Whoa! We thought you were a jerk, but turns out we were wrong. We're clear now." Lily exclaimed, backing off. "Barney, we were wrong about him being a jerk."

"Thank _you_. At least someone understands." Sam nodded in Lily's direction, extending an arm as if to prove a point, grateful.

"You're not a jerk. You have levelled up. You're a dirty lying son of a bitch." She smiled, pleased with herself.

"No! You've got it wrong. What the hell, guys? We've known each other for three years. I liked you guys. I thought we were friends! What's going on?" Sam questioned, desperate for an explanation.

"We _were_. But then you turned into, like Lily said, a dirty lying son of a bitch, so now I guess we're not." Barney shrugged, his mouth tinged with a smirk.

"And how am I a dirty lying son of a bitch?" Sam frowned, annoyed. "Robin agreed to get back together with me. She chose _me_ over you guys, and you will just have to deal with it."

"Careful, Sam, your son of a bitch side is showing." Lily crossed her arms, mad at what he had just said, and madder upon realising what he had just said was nothing but the truth.

Sam himself was getting heated up now. "_Barney and Lily_," his words slurred with irritation. "Like I said, I thought we were friends – I really thought we were. And I would see why Robin chose me over the two of you. You two are sorry excuses of friends."

"Whatever, dude. Call us any name in the book. It doesn't matter…What matters is what you will be doing with Robin. I don't want her to get hurt. Again. By the same person." Barney declared, helpless.

"So you're right. The big secret is out. I don't love her. But you know what? She loves me. And that's what matters. You should see her reaction when I asked her if she wanted to get back together with me. She was head over heels in love with the idea and in love with me. She loves me, guys! _There are just so many things you can do with a woman who loves you."_

"Sam, don't you dare." Lily muttered under her breath, her eyes burning holes through his face.

"Well we'll see about that. I mean, didn't you just have a big fight with her a few days ago? Exactly. Who do you think she is going to turn to? Me. And whom will she listen to? Me, as well. Wow. Oh, last one! Who does she trust right now? Wait, the answer is me again." He paused, breathing out, a wicked smile upon his face. "Good luck, Aldrin."

Sneering, Sam picked up his coat and left the apartment, leaving Barney and Lily in complete disbelief.

Staring at each other in panic, they could only stand grimly, none of them able to string enough words together to form a proper sentence.


	18. Chapter 18

Barney sat in his office, with Lily standing opposite him. This is it. Their second meeting.

"Robin won't talk to me! I've tried. She just won't listen. She's not even picking up her phone anymore." Lily was frowning, phone in her hand.

Doing the usual and trying to keep his cool, Barney sounded calm and in control. "Chill, Lily. This is about the worst it can get right now. And… You just know it's going to get better from here, because, well, it seems as though we've already reached the worst."

"Don't you understand? Barney. This is not a game or anything. This is real life. This is real life and this is my best friend we're talking about here."

Freaking out was not usually Lily's thing and Barney could tell, but as much as he would have wanted to comfort her and tell her all sorts of sweet words like how it was going to be all right sooner or later, he found those exact words hard to utter.

"I know. It's just – I don't know how we're going to be doing this. She won't talk to you, and if Sam tells her about that thing yesterday, which I kind of think he will, she won't talk to_ me_ as well. Damn it. That coy son of a bitch. He's going to twist the whole thing. A plan is what we need…" Snapping to his senses, he sat up straight in his seat, the first time the whole half hour they had been in his office. "Right, let's start brainstorming. Because we haven't got all day."

In deep thought for the perfect plan after his disastrous one just yesterday, he stared out of his window, right into the one of an adjacent building. His thinking was interrupted by a suddenly chirpy Lily.

"Barney… Okay, wait. I can't believe I haven't told you about this, but I remember it now."

She drew a breath before continuing, as if to piece her thoughts together.

"Robin came up to me a week ago, before she and Sam got back together, and after your night one stand. She came up to me telling me… I don't know how to phrase it. Well, the thing is, I think she has feelings for you. She's either just really good at hiding them or Sam's just gotten a load better at manipulation…Wrapping it all up, she has feelings for you and you have feelings for her. So… I mean, it doesn't get clearer than this."

She paused and waited for his response, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it's not clear at all." He turned around, facing her. "It's actually pretty foggy right here. Why are you telling me this? How is this relevant to anything at all? She can't have feelings for me and then date Sam. _Even idiots like me know that's not how it works._ **_She's just not that into me, okay?_**"

"No, listen to me. She is but she's not realising it. So what I'm going to be doing is playing cupid."

_"Playing cupid?"_

"Yeah. Just like the old times. But this time I'm going to be a hardcore cupid with a 100% success rate because we just can't afford to think about failure and its consequences, get it?"

"I don't think I like where this is going… But, okay. I get that, I suppose. So tell me more about this hardcore cupid plan that is going to be taking place, sensei?"

"It's like this – I'm going to put you and Robin alone together to talk about your feelings… Or just have another hook-up. Whatever it is, you guys are going to be alone. But wait, there's more! Here is my theory: If it had worked the first time and if she had felt the spark that first time, she will feel it again, provided it's still there. Which, I think still is."

"And if it's not?"

"It is. I know her well enough to know how she's feeling just by the twitch of an eyebrow and lately she's been acting weird. Lately as in, before we got into that big, stupid, meaningless fight." She sighed, the cold memory sweeping through her head. "As for now, just go with it. If the chemistry is not there, we'll think of another plan to cover this one up. But trust me, this one will work and we won't need backups."

"Okay… This sounds reasonable. But I have one query."

"Spit it out, clear your doubts." Lily shrugged.

"And you would know this plan will work, because…?"

Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair, a mischievous grin appearing.

"Barney, you just need to trust me."


	19. Chapter 19

Barney shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, whispering into his mouthpiece. He was outside Robin's apartment, and having been told she was having her day off, this was the perfect opportunity.

"I'm kind of nervous about this. And what's with the mouthpiece? This is really weird. She's going to notice this. Plus, red wine, _really_?"

"Shush!" Lily quipped from the end of the line. "The wine's good. You need the mouthpiece because I need to know what's happening and you need to know how to respond. Just go with it. Hide it under your collar. And stop whispering to yourself!"

"Okay, okay… But you know I have my doubts. This is a plan… And so does this not make us just as manipulative as Sam? I know we're doing this for the 'greater good', but I still have my doubts." He whispered into the mouthpiece, awkwardly leaning against the corridor.

"Barney, you've run plenty of plays. And like you said, we are doing this for the 'greater good'… So it's going to be fine. Because Lily Aldrin doesn't screw up twice." Her voice sounded rushed and impatient, almost as if she was dying for the play to begin.

"Well, whatever you say." He muttered as he rang the doorbell in the beat of Let's Go To The Mall, something he know would piss Robin off in the most endearing way.

A hushed voice came from the other side of the line as Lily tried to hold in her excitement. "All right, let the games begin."

* * *

Barney was greeted by a grinning Robin, and somehow, there was something special about her smile that made him want to smile back.

"Barney! Hey! Stop that annoying doorbell ringing and come on in… How did you know I was having my day off?"

He staggered into her living room and cringed at the sight of Sam's flannel shirt hanging behind her armchair.

"I, uh, I just guessed!" He shrugged, attempting to make it sound as casual as possible. Looking for Sam, he peered around the room. "By the way, is Sam, like… Here right now? Because I was thinking we could hang out alone. As best friends, I mean. Not… Whatever else. Is he here?"

"Oh, nah, he isn't. He has work to do. It's just you and me. And…" Ignoring the awkward moment, she glanced at the bottle of wine he was holding. "Is that wine? You brought wine?"

Noticing the bottle in his hand, he lit up like a child would upon seeing treats. "Yeah! Wine. It's not too shabby. I thought I would just celebrate your coming back together with Sam."

Robin stifled a hearty laugh, Barney the entire time falling more in love with her. "Wow! That's pretty cool. I mean, I've never heard of this celebration method. I'll go get the wine glass."

"Well, it's a personal Stinson thing, hashtag super cool." He smiled.

Bringing out the wine glasses, Robin settled down on her couch, still smiling and even slightly impressed. "I don't have anything fancy to go with the wine, though. So we'll just be this weird pair of lunatics drinking red wine in broad daylight."

"Whatever! We're awesome."

"Hell yes we are. Okay, wait, I've got this cool board game I've had in my cupboard ever since I moved here, which was like, _centuries _ago, and I've never actually taken it out because I was a loser and had no friends. I was thinking if we-"

"Nope, no board game. No thank you. And I can see you haven't changed much. I mean, you're still in that loser form. Loser but at the same time a temptation." Barney smiled gently, giving her one of his famous winks.

_She was a temptation, indeed._

"Shut up!" She spluttered, giggling and elbowing him in the rib. "Ok, let's get this wine thing started. I hope we don't have to pretend we're sophisticated or anything by letting the drink breathe or whatever."

"Nope, we don't. We can just pour it down our throats or all over our shirts then yell 'bloody murder' if that pleases you."

"Yes, that pleases me. I think it will do just fine." She winked back.

Snuggling on the couch like the old times, they drank wine, exchanged stories, shared laughs and had the most decent conversation they have had in a long time. Barney tore off the mouthpiece Lily insisted he wore, and with the two were enjoying each other's company so much, they soon had glasses upon glasses of wine and were completely zonked. They lied on the couch lazily, unintentionally reliving the scenario of their first hook-up, something which neither of them had noticed.


	20. Chapter 20

"Life is funny, isn't it?" Robin slurred, the words coming out of her mouth unfiltered by her brain now that she was, safe to say, completely drunk. "Just when you think your life is over, something pretty good comes back. I mean, with Sam. He left and I thought… I thought my life was over. Just like that. At twenty six. I thought my life was over. Call me lame or whatever, but I really thought that. And then life takes a turn and you're back in that good place you were in. This world is the strangest place."

Utterly ignoring Barney's existence, she continued murmuring into the distance, her drunken voice filling the emptiness around the both of them, something that Barney had found endearing, for some odd reason he could not quite explain.

"But… There's this thing that makes our relationship feel so weird." Robin carried on, her voice less joyful now. "There's perhaps this line between us now. It's like we're from different worlds. He still loves me and sometimes he tells me all these great things I am, but… Why say words when you don't mean them? I'm so confused. I mean, does he love me or does he not? Do I even love him? I think I used to love him, maybe once upon a time. But that feeling's kind of faded."

"And then there's the whole intimacy thing!" She exclaimed, still heavily drunken, her tone slightly irked. "It's like he doesn't even want to share the same bed as me when we're sleeping. He sleeps on the couch after we 'do it'. What the hell is up with that? Is it me? I don't know what I'm doing wrong because I am trying to do everything right. But it has to be me, because it can't be Sam's fault."

Facing him now, she felt something sting as unexpected teardrops formed around the rim of her eyes. _"Barney – what's wrong with me?"_

Completely entranced by Robin, he ignored her dire question and instead let the three words slip out of his mouth – the three words he would never had the courage to say sober._ "I love you."_

Blinking back the tears, Robin seemed to have retracted her previous emotions as her old, annoyed voice was back.

"_Please_ don't get me started on that. He never says 'I love you' anymore. I just don't get it. I feel like this is all my fault and this relationship sucks, but I can't talk to Lily about it because I've pissed her off so badly and I feel like… I feel like such a bad person. I feel so awful I don't know how to face Lily anymore. I know I've made a mistake and I'm trying to fix this alone, but I just can't do it. **_Why can't I?_**"

"No." Barney shook his head, lost in her eyes. "I mean... **I love you.** Robin, I love you."

"No, you don't. Barney, I think you're drunk."

"_We're both drunk._"

"Okay, you are definitely drunk."

"No I'm not. You are, Scherbatsky."

"Fine, we both are."

And then the next set of words came out, a simple request, a little like a plead, but at the same time desperate and his voice cracked.

_"Let's hook-up."_

"I would love to, but I have this thing," Robin pouted drunkenly. "I have this thing called a boyfriend."

Barney, imitating Robin's pout, leaned in closer. "And I have this thing called_ I don't care_."

Backing off, she slid further down, almost swallowed by the couch. "I do! I can't cheat on Sam. There may be something odd between us right now, but... I can't cheat on my boyfriend. Cheating is just... Wrong."

"Shut up."

_"You shut up."_

"I need to ask this. I need to know the answer. Why can't you choose me? Why _didn't _you? I love you and you know this. Why did you have to run back to that jerk? That jerk, who, pardon me, is just using you as a back-up plan? I mean, I'll have Lily confirm with me on that one. There are not many things I am sure of, except the one thing that I am, which is the fact that Sam is a stupid tight ass for treating you like this. You deserve better. I know I'm not perfect or even _close_ to being perfect, but can we all just take some time to appreciate and celebrate me when I'm not out in strip clubs? I think I'm pretty awesome."

Robin smiled, in the state of drunkenness, having mixed feelings, appreciating his humour.

"All I'm saying is, you had a choice, and you've chosen poorly." He said simply, shrugging and trying to hide the sadness in his voice.

"So what do you expect we do?" She sat up, stared at him, eager and wide-eyed, but at the same time terrified. She was terrifed at the thought of how eager she had sounded.

Barney leaned in a little closer and that was enough to send chills down her spine. "I'd say… I'd say we try to fix this. We try to fix this _together._"

"Together," she repeated. "I'd like that very much." She nodded, and that seemed to be the end of their discussion.


	21. Chapter 21

"Robin, you just need to tell him." Barney urged. "Tell him you don't think the relationship is going in the right direction and call it off. It'll be so simple. Please just do it. Do it for me. Do it for the possibility of us."

"I don't think I can… I… Barney, I can't do this." She sighed, exasperated, as she sat down on the edge of his coffee table. "Please stop that. Please stop being in love with me. We're good friends and there's nothing more to that. This isn't right. I wish we could go back to normal."

"Robin," he started again, sternly, leaning towards her with his eyes firmly looking into hers, causing her to look away to avoid his gaze almost immediately, her face flushed crimson.

"Look at me." He commanded softly, his voice coming out in a whisper, and she obeyed, however reluctantly. "You have to do this, no matter how hard it seems. You're in a relationship with some big jerk and there is a ninety nine percent chance you don't love him anymore. That's not a healthy relationship and you need to get out of it."

"I will, when the time is right."

"This isn't good enough. I need you to say yes. And I need you to say it's going to happen now."

"Yes. Now."

"You promise me this?"

"Yes… _No._ I can't do it." Biting her lip, she turned away once again, breaking their mutual gaze the second time. "Please don't make me do this. I'm sorry. I just don't know how to deal with feelings."

"I know, and that's why we're dealing with this together." He turned to her, one hand holding her face, studying her features as he stroked her cheek lightly with his coarse thumb. "I need you to do this. It may seem overwhelming but I know you will get through it because you are the bravest person I know. Are you ready?"

She stared at him with an emotionless face and gulped. A hundred thoughts raced through her head. She wanted to get the relationship over and done with, _but was it not too soon to call it off, especially now that they had just gotten back together? When will the time be right? And will the time ever be right?_

"I think so."

Putting her hand into his, she stood up, brushing the wrinkles that had formed on her blouse for as long as she had been sitting down. Barney held a hand on his hip, allowing her arm to slink into his, forming a loop.

"Okay, honey. Let's go."


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: Hope it's not too abrupt to say this is the 22nd and final chapter. Thank you for the favourites, the follows, the nice reviews and most of all, thank you for sticking with me. Catch you all later soon, sometime in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy this chapter and savour the sweet taste of the (...spoiler alert!) happy ending. :) x**

* * *

_Awkward,_ Sam thought as the three settled down on Robin's couch, looking at his watch constantly and impatiently. _What's this all about now? I haven't got all day._

Struggling with her words, Robin cleared her throat and her voice pierced through the silence.

"Sam."

Looking at her with his infamous puppy eyes, his 'oh so lovely' voice was back, a voice – no point fighting it – enough to make her weak.

"Robin."

"And Barney here, _what up_." Barney added, raising his eyebrow, a gesture ignored by the two.

Taking a deep breath, she mustered all the courage she had left; looking at Barney for some additional strength she knew she could find radiating from him, someway, somehow. She breathed out. "Sam, I can't do this anymore. I can't do this relationship thing anymore. It's… Emotional abuse."

"Oh baby, good, I'm glad you've brought this up, because – truth to be told, me neither."

Barely paying attention to what Sam was saying, she continued with her little rant, surprising herself with the eloquence of her speech. "…All that's left has gone away and… There's nothing more to say or do. I think we should just call this off and save the trouble. It's just not working."

A short silence followed but Sam quickly stood up and opened his mouth, breaking the tension in a simple, matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"…I agree."

_"Wait, what?"_

"Yep, I agree. Let's call it off."

"Okay. What? _That's it?_"

"Yeah, pretty much." Sam shrugged. "Whatever. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have booked a tennis court at noon so I'll see you around, maybe." Getting up, he grabbed the racket he had brought with him when he had entered her apartment and simply left without another word.

"_See me around?_ I can't believe it. He just… Left. I mean, what!? He didn't even yell at me and we didn't even fight. I was really looking forward to fighting because I really needed that extra anger built up gone." She wiped her forehead, a look of disbelief plastered on her face.

"See? That was way easier than expected. He just walked out on you. Literally. You know what they say. It's time to let go, and you did. Now you'd know you've saved yourself the trouble by breaking up with him at such an early stage."

"No, I haven't saved myself any trouble at all, I don't think."

"What do you mean by that?"

She was dead serious now, the corners of her mouth flat, her usual, noticeable dimple missing, vanished into the flesh of her cheek. "Barney, you know what I mean."

Unaware of the situation and how she was feeling, he panicked. Knowing her, she could be thinking about ponies and rainbows or she could be thinking about crying a river. You never know, but that is just part of her character; unpredictable, surprising, a complete wild card.

"No, I don't." He stated, genuinely confused. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is," she shrugged, getting up from her couch and walking down to the fridge to get a cold beer. "I bet it's going to be a much more physically, mentally and emotionally demanding job to be dating _you_, mister attractive face."

_"Quit scaring me, Robin Scherbatsky, you saucy little minx."_

Following her tracks and pulling her in for a kiss, they both broke into their widest grins, putting the brilliance of the sunrays outside to shame.

_Together, at last. The first day, the new beginning, a fresh start._

**_And little did they know that their life together had barely begun._**


End file.
